In recent years, a player capable of reproducing AV (audio-visual) data with ease has been pervasive. A specific example of such a player is a DVD player. A user inserts a disk in such a player, and can use a controller to send an instruction such as “play (reproduce)”, “pause (suspend)”, “fast-forward”, or the like.
On the other hand, when preparing the AV data serving as a content, a preparer of the content can control (regulate) reproduction of the content. For example, the preparer can make such regulation that the user cannot carry out pausing manipulation (operation) or fast-forwarding manipulation while a specific scene is displayed. When the user sends such a prohibited instruction, the DVD player normally makes a warning sound or displays a warning indicating that the manipulation is prohibited.
Patent documents 1 and 2 below are documents each describing a prior technique to which the present invention pertains.
Described in Patent document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Tokukaihei 11-238367/1999 (published on Aug. 31, 1999)) is a usable key display system for notifying the user of which keys are manipulable at the moment among various manipulation keys. Specifically, the usable key display system uses an optical disk storing (i) reproduction control information PCI for controlling reproduction of stored data, and (ii) video object unit user operation control information VOBU_UOP_CTL contained in the PCI. Utilized for the notification are: (i) a step of extracting, from VOBU_UOP_CTL, a user manipulation bit group UOP for determining whether or not the manipulation is approved (authorized; permitted); and (ii) a step of notifying, when the user manipulation bit group UOP contains information of prohibiting the manipulation (UOP=“1”), the user of keys whose manipulation is not prohibited by the user manipulation bit group UOP.
Meanwhile, described in Patent document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Tokukai 2002-290896 (published on Oct. 4, 2002)) is a recording medium reproducing apparatus allowing effective use of pausing time (suspended time). The following specifically explains this. That is, a DVD stores commercial image video data (CM video data) in, e.g., an angle region of a part of a multi-angle region. In response to press down of a pause button during reproduction of the DVD (reproduction of a main content of the content), the recording medium reproducing apparatus suspends the reproduction of the main content of the content, and causes a memory to store information indicative of the suspension position. In cases where the suspension position is in the multi-angle region, the CM video data starts to be reproduced from the suspension position. Meanwhile, in cases where the suspension position is not in the multi-angle region, the recording medium reproducing apparatus starts to reproduce CM video data positioned closest to the suspension position. The CM video data is reproduced from its beginning. Further, the reproduction of the video data of the main content is resumed from the suspension position indicated by the information stored in the memory, in response to press down of the pause button while the CM video data is reproduced, i.e., in response to an instruction of canceling the suspension.
However, when receiving the prohibited instruction from the user, the conventional structure merely makes the normal warning sound or displays the warning indicating that the manipulation is prohibited. This makes the user feel unpleasant. In other words, the indication using the warning sound and the warning display disturbs the viewing.
To solve the problem, the usable key display system described in Patent document 1 displays, on a screen or the like, a list of keys manipulable during reproduction of a content restricting the key input manipulation. The display on the screen is carried out prior to the reproduction of the content. After the reproduction starts, the list of the manipulable keys are sent to the remote controller. In accordance with the list thus sent, the remote controller causes the manipulable keys to light up. With this, the light-up of the manipulable keys of the remote controller allows the user to recognize which keys are manipulable in the currently reproduced content.
Reasons for prohibiting the manipulation are different among the contents; however, such indication described in Patent document 1 never clarifies the reasons even when used together with the warning sound and/or the warding display. Moreover, such indication is monotonous and insipid. Therefore, this is not effective to restrain the unpleasant feeling of the user.
Further, even in cases where the manipulation is approved, display indicative of the approved manipulation remains unvaried among the contents. This is insipid. Moreover, there is no freedom in changing functions and properties.